India

Nearly 12 lakh residential buildings and industrial units will get power connections this year, as the government has resumed providing electricity connections after a pause of more than two years, said BangladeshPower Development Board (BPDB) officials. The BPDB will provide new electricity connections in phases. About four lakh applicants, who have already subscribed for power connections, will be brought under the national electricity network in the first phase. The rest will get the facility gradually, said an official. The users, however, must get solar energy systems installed to enjoy the facility. Residential buildings using up to 2 kilowatt of electricity a day will have to meet five per cent of their power consumption from renewable energy sources. It is seven per cent for commercial buildings and factories consuming 50 kilowatt of electricity and 10 per cent for users of power above 50 kilowatt. Garment factories must have solar solutions installed to meet five percent of their power consumption, said the official. The government stopped giving new connections to households and industries in January 2009 for nagging power crisis. However, the BPDB and other suppliers provided a limited number of power connections last year.